Columbiana man charged in Glenmoor robbery

February 20, 2013

GLENMOOR - A Columbiana man was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon in connection with a robbery at the Home Savings on Y&O Road.

A county sheriff's deputy pulled over a car driven by Tary L. Gilbert, 36, Fairfield School Road, after an alert was sent out by St. Clair Township police to be on the lookout for the vehicle following the robbery.

According to township police Chief Don Hyatt, a man entered the bank shortly before 3 p.m. and handed a note demanding money to a cashier. He did not display a weapon.

After being given an undetermined amount of cash, the man fled out the door and entered a dark-colored Nissan sedan, driving west on Y&O Road.

Hyatt said quick-thinking bank employees were able to get the license plate number of the car, and his department immediately broadcast the information to other area police departments.

County Sheriff's Deputy Steve Boyd, stationed on state Route 11 just north of state Route 154 near Lisbon, was the first to spot the vehicle. He followed the car while he waited for backup, which came from the Columbiana Police Department.

Eight miles to the north, the vehicle took the state Route 344 exit toward Columbiana and Boyd initiated the stop at about 3:32 p.m., while Columbiana police in two other vehicles assisted. Gilbert was arrested without incident.

Gilbert was then handed over to St. Clair officers, who later charged him with robbery.

Hyatt said Gilbert was fully cooperative with officers.

The chief also said they found all the stolen money in the car plus other items that would point to Gilbert having been involved.

The car he was driving was impounded at the St. Clair police station, with the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation called to process evidence.

The FBI was also called and was on the scene with township officers Tuesday, with Hyatt saying a joint investigation is underway, with any charges expected to be filed by his department.

Hyatt said he and his officers were "shocked" to learn there had been another bank robbery Tuesday in Hancock County, W.Va.

The chief later said the two robberies about three hours apart were not connected, with the surveillance photos from the Hancock County bank not matching Gilbert.